When I was 19, I took piano, violin, and music theory from an eccentric Hungarian musician who liked to talk a lot about escaping communism. He also liked to tell Hungarian jokes. In a book of translated Hungarian poetry, (by the poet Miklos Radnoti—seriously, check him out. He’s awesome), I read in the translator’s notes … Continue reading On Godly Gifts: Life Is Hard When You Don’t Believe in Giraffes
Taken outside my mother’s board and care facility while she was recovering and my teeth were falling out. I remember my friend Jeana at the bar in Nashville, Tennessee, or actually on her way to the bar saying that her teeth may be crooked, but at least they were all in there. She was referring … Continue reading Those Who Lack: A Pagan Meditation on Love and Dentistry
My best Salvation Army find of all time. I kick myself every day that I didn’t buy it. Except God Now! Human trafficking is a huge problem where I live yet, woefully, there are very few organizations that serve those victimized by it. I recently had occasion to donate goods to a deserving charity and, … Continue reading A Pagan Learns Evangelical Charity
Happy Imbolc everyone! Gather here with me around the temple hearth where today we celebrate Hestia/Vesta, goddess of hearth and temple flame, and also Brigid, goddess of poetry, the forge, and myriad other bright and blessed things. Sit here with me, the goddesses amongst us, the soft flickering flames inspiring our mystical vision. As the … Continue reading Classic Imbolc Tale of My Epic Social Fail
Aldous Huxleyphotographer unknown “…the place of mind in nature and the relationship between brain and consciousness.” -Aldous Huxley, The Doors of Perception I’ll tell you what: Right now my brain is starting a headache looking at this quote while my consciousness is in Aldous Huxley’s pants. Such a a spiritual hottie. Great big juicy brain. … Continue reading Unsolicited Spiritual Advice: Getting the God Feeling
I have a morning prayer practice that I have come to rely on to get my head straight and help remind me of what my priorities are—loving and serving my gods in joy and gratitude, and expressing passionate faith. The watchwords of Temple Mercury. This prayer is based on the “Hail Mary” which is a … Continue reading Saturday Devotion: Hail Beloved Gods
Hibiscus Blossom in a Snowstorm (photograph by M. Ashley) Passionate faith begins and ends in passionate gratitude. And so Temple Mercury’s inaugural post is, fittingly, a gratitude prayer. You should seek to express gratitude to and for your gods as much as possible, in the moment, even improvisationally, letting one small gratitude lead to another … Continue reading Gratitude Prayer
Temple Mercury 